‘People vs Polluters’ Stop Rosebank legal challenge
Climate campaigners are declaring their backing for a court case today (12/11/24) that challenges the previous UK Government’s approval of the controversial Rosebank oil field.
The legal challenges by Greenpeace and Uplift will face the field owners Equinor and Ithaca Energy, after the current UK Government conceded its approval was unlawful and declined to defend it. If the climate campaigners are successful, the decision to re-approve Rosebank may end up back with the UK Government.
Greenpeace will also be challenging the UK Government’s approval of the Jackdaw gas field, which caused widespread protests when it was approved in 2022.
The court cases will be heard in the Edinburgh Court of Session from Tuesday 12th to Friday 15th November.
Friends of the Earth Scotland oil and gas campaigner Freya Aitchison,
“This case is truly people versus polluters. Big oil companies must be stopped on their reckless pursuit of ever more damaging fossil fuels and bigger profits.
“Our weather is already warmer and wilder, with deadly floods and enormous hurricanes giving us a terrifying glimpse of a changed climate. Rosebank should never have been approved in the first place, because burning the oil it contains will put more lives in danger and deliver more destruction.
“People power has pushed the UK Government to not defend this case with tens of thousands of people speaking out against this climate–wrecking project for many years. The arguments about the risk new oil poses to climate safety, energy bills and a transition for workers are even more compelling today.
“We are so close to stopping Rosebank for good, and with it setting a precedent for other new fossil fuel projects to be stopped in their tracks. Our energy future must be built on reliable, affordable renewable energy that is run in the public interest. Oil workers must be at the heart of creating a credible and fair transition plan that creates secure green jobs, meets the needs of communities and scales up the industries we need for the long term.”
Notes to Editors
Friends of the Earth Scotland is not a party to the legal case but has been campaigning strongly against the Rosebank & Jackdaw fields.
Details of the case: Uplift and Greenpeace UK have been granted judicial reviews of the decisions made by the Energy Secretary under the previous Conservative government and by the oil and gas regulator, the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), to grant consent to the Rosebank & Jackdaw project.
The new UK government has since conceded that the field was approved unlawfully and Rosebank’s fossil fuel owners – Equinor and Ithaca Energy – have since entered the case as interested parties.
The court will hear arguments that the development of Rosebank is unlawful and consent should be quashed because:
• it ignores the impact of the emissions from burning Rosebank’s oil and gas;
• it would damage a protected area of the North Sea containing diverse marine life;
• and because of a failure by the regulator to be transparent in its reasoning.
https://www.stopcambo.org.uk/about-the-case
Briefing on Rosebank field: https://www.stopcambo.org.uk/updates/what-is-the-rosebank-oil-field
Friends of the Earth Scotland is:
* Scotland’s leading environmental campaigning organisation
* An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland
* Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 73 national member groups, and 5,000 local activist groups.